In 2005, 21 years ago, we were botanizing in Northern Vietnam, when we decided to head east toward the town of Baba. After several hours, we arrived at the edge of a large river, only to find that the bridge, shown on our maps, had yet to be built. Instead of backtracking several hours, we took off on an unknown path of small, deeply rutted dirt backroads, that would eventually lead us back to our main route, heading south. Along the way, I remember screaming “stop”, when I spotted an odd, crinkly form of the widespread Alocasia macrorrhizos growing in front of a small home. We stopped and knocked on the door, and subsequently attempted to explain by pointing at the plant, along with a shovel, that we would like to purchase a piece of the clump. Soon the entire family joined the fun, and the patriarch dug us several divisions. I still chuckle at his t-shirt…what a cool coincidence.
That same upright elephant ear, which we named Alocasia macrorrhizos ‘Shock Treatment’, still grows happily in our garden, as you can see by the photo taken this week. What a lovely plant and lovely memory. We’ve offered this for most of the last 20 years, and we hope those of you who purchased it, have enjoyed it as much as we have. Hardiness Zone 7b-10b.
